H/U RCA plug confusion

[Brycestro]

Hey all, i've just pulled out my headunit to connect up RCA cables to run to my 4 channel amplifier. This four channel amplifier is to be running both the front and rear speaker sets... I'm also wanting to connect RCA cables to run to a one channel amplifier to be powering my subs... but here's where i get confused... The way i pictured it, the back of the H/U had 6 RCA plugs... 2 plugs for the front speakers, 2 plugs for the rear speakers and 2 plugs for the subs... Now it does indeed have 6 plugs, 2 for rear, 2 for front, but the third set of 2 plugs says "BUS AUDIO IN". I'm assuming the 2 BUS AUDIO IN RCA plugs aren't what is used for wiring up to the amplifier which will be powering the subs??? In the diagram i have of it, two of the RCA plugs are labelled as "REAR/SUB". Does this mean i can only be amplifying either my rear speakers or my subs at any one point in time and not both of them together? Anyway, i've included the diagram as an attachment, i just want to know what RCA plugs will go to where so that i have my front and rear speakers running off of my 4 channel amp and my subs running off my 1 channel amp!

Thanks everyone

[shaggerz]

Your problem is very simply solved by buying or making an inexpensive splitter that will split 2 RCA outputs into 4. Then all you need to do is connect the output (not sub output) from the head unit to the splitter and the splitter into both pairs of channels on the amp.

The catch with this is that you won't be able to adjust the individual volume of the front and rear speakers from the head unit. You can still adjust these by changing the individual gain controls on the amp however.

My head unit is the same. It provides 2 pairs of outputs and one pair of inputs. You can switch the rear output between "sub" and "rear".

In any case, that should solve the problem. If you are handy with a soldering iron its quite easy to make such a splitter. If not, just pop in to Dick Smith or Tandy or Jaycar and they should have something to meet your needs.

[SweetWagon]

Yes, the "BUS AUDIO IN" would be for something like a stacker. Also like shaggerz said you will need RCA splitters to create two pairs of rear left and right outputs. This way you can wire the 4ch amp with the 2x front RCA's and 2x rear RCA's ,and have one pair of rear RCA's left over for your 1ch amp for your subs.

[Brycestro]

Which would be the better option:

a) Have the 2 RCA's for the front speakers powering the front and the 2 RCA's for the rear extending into 4 RCA's to power both the rear and subs together

0R

b) Have the 2 RCA's for the front speakers extended into 4 RCA's powering both the front and rear speakers and the 2 RCA's for the rear powering the subs only...

I'm leaning towards option b) so that from the headunit i can adjust the interior speaker and sub levels independently instead of option a) where i would be able to adjust the front speakers and the combination of rear and subs independently.

Thanks fellas.

[shaggerz]

Definitely option B... I'd want the cabin speakers adjustable completely seperately from the sub as they are totally different types of speaker / frequency bands.

[Brycestro]

Ike, i've been to autobarn, DSE, Tandy, Ideal Electrical to name a few and can't find any splitters that split 1 RCA plug into 2 RCA plugs... I've seen a whole bunch of other style plugs and stuff around but none specifically aimed to do this. Where did you all get yours from and do you have any links or something where i can have a look at em? Thanks again fellas.

[SweetWagon]

DSE should have it as i have seen them i there. Try the powerhouse as it is much better. Here are my results from a quick search i did on there website which should be what you need.

http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.st...uct/View/C1170

All you need to do is make sure you get one long enough and your on your way.

[Brycestro]

hhhmm yeah i see what you mean, but i was more hoping to simply find an adapter so that i could do the conversion side of things in the boot as i've already got 6m RCA wire and have run it from the headunit to the boot... so i'm ideally looking for something that has a single socket splitting into two plugs which i would then plug into the amplifier, or even something that has one socket splitting into two sockets, then i'd just plug up the RCA's i've alread run into the single socket sides and then from the double socket sides run some more short RCA plugs from there to the amp sockets.

[Brycestro]

ah wait... just found another way i could do it... http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.st...uct/View/P6565 Use the adapter shown here to plug in the RCA's running from the headunit and then from the other side run the cables you linked me too in your thread

[SweetWagon]

Yeah sure that would work fine

[Brycestro]

Found a better solution:

http://www.crazycables.com.au/produc...d=168&catid=36

They also sell 0 AWG wire, yay